Apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths in rope form comprising a hermetically sealed vessel having a liquid pumping compartment and a treatment compartment through which the cloth circulates drawn along by the treatment liquid, the treatment compartment being divided into two subcompartments, the cloth circulating through the lower subcompartment on the outward run inside a longitudinal duct connected at its ends respectively with the header portion of the pumping compartment and the upper subcompartment through which the cloth passes on the return run; at the end of the return run a winch draws the cloth from the bath and returns it to the longitudinal transport duct where it is drawn along by the difference of liquid level between the header section of the pumping compartment and the upper level in the treatment compartment, said level difference being caused in use by pumping means housed in said pumping compartment.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,837,187 Trulls 1 Sept. 24, 1974 APPARATUS FOR THE WET TREATMENT Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby 0F CLOTHS Inventor: Isidro Folch Trulls, Tarrasa, Spain Argelich, Termes y C Sociedad Anonima, Barcelona, Spain Filed: Aug. 3, 1973 Appl. No.: 339,467

Assignee:

Assistant Examiner Philip R. Coe Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak 5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths in rope form comprising a hermetically sealed vessel having a liquid pumping compartment and a treatment com- 7 partment through which the cloth circulates drawn along by the treatment liquid, the treatment compartment being divided into two subcompartments, the cloth circulating through the lower subcompartment on the outward run inside a longitudinal duct con- U.S. Cl 68/15, 68/177, 68/184 Int. Cl. B05c 3/172 Field of Search 68/15, 184, DIG. 1, 175,

10/1973 Marsh et al 68/184 X l/l974 Kawasaki et al.....' 68/184 X nected at its ends respectively with the header portion of the pumping compartment and the upper subcompartment through which the cloth passes on the return run; at the end of the return run a winch draws the cloth from the bath and returns it to the longitudinal transport duct where it is drawn along by the difference of liquid level between the header section of the pumping compartment and v the upper level in the treatment compartment, said level difference being caused in use by pumping means housed in said pumping compartment.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDSEPZMHM 3' .1

sumaora v FIG. .2

APPARATUS FOR THE WET TREATMENT OF CLOTHS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths, particularly for the performance of washing, bleaching, dyeing or similar treatments on all types of cloth in endless rope form.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the wet treatment of the cloths is performed uniformly, speedily and efficiently without marking, wrinkling or deforming the treated cloths and in the most suitable pressure and temperature conditions for each type of treatment and cloth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This object has been achieved in the apparatus of the invention which comprises in combination:

a. a hermetically sealed vessel capable of being pressurised and holding the treatment liquid in its lower portion;

b. a transverse wall dividing the lower portion of said vessel into a first relatively small compartment, forming the treatment liquid pumping compartment, and a second relatively large compartment;

c. a longitudinal wall, having liquid ports, which divides said second compartment into a lower subcompartment and an upper subcompartment through which the cloth circulates during its return run;

d. a transport duct through which the cloth passes on its outward run, said transport duct being positioned substantially below the longitudinal wall in said lower subcompartment and having its inlet port in communication with said treatment liquid pumping compartment and its outlet port feeding into said upper subcompartment;

e. a liquid pumping means positioned in said vessel between said lower subcompartment and said pumping compartment and when operating, acting to create a difference in level thereby forcing the liquid in the pumping compartment to spill into the inlet port of said transport duct; and

f. a winch disposed with respect to the upper subcompartment in such a way that it draws a cloth from the bath between the return run and the outward run and returns it to the transport duct.

The apparatus according to the invention may be provided with a heat exchange member in the pumping compartment to heat or cool the treatment liquid.

Likewise, the apparatus according to the invention may have the liquid pumping means positioned in the lower portion of the vessel, in a hole in the transverse wall separating the pumping compartment from the second compartment.

The apparatus according to the invention may also have speed control means attached to both the winch and the pumping means.

Finally, a further feature of the apparatus according to the invention is that it may comprise a plurality of transport ducts in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of a corresponding plurality of endless ropes of cloth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to facilitate the understanding of the foregoing ideas and at the same time disclose certain constructional details, certain embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Both the description and the drawings have to be considered as purely illustrative and without any restrictive scope with. respect to the breadth of the legal protection applied for. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of one example of an apparatus in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken on the line IIII.

FIG. 3 is a further cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken on the line llllll.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of another example of an apparatus in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 4 taken on the line V-V, and

FIG. 6 is a further cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 4 taken on the line VI-VI.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the apparatus comprises a cylindrical horizontal hermetically sealed vessel 1 having a lid 2 for loading and unloading purposes. Inside the vessel there is a transverse wall 3 dividing the lower portion of said vessel 1 into a first, relatively small, pumping compartment 4 and a second, relatively large, compartment 5 which contains the major portion of the treatment liquid 6. Within the second compartment 5 there is a longitudinal wall 7, hav ing perforations for passage of the liquid and dividing said second compartment 5 into a lower subcompartment 8 and an upper subcompartment 9 through which the cloth l0 to be treated circulates on its return run. The longitudinal wall 7, together with a central perforated wall ll, two lateral walls 12 and 13 and an end wall 14 form two longitudinal treatment vessels within which the cloth 10 to be treated moves on its return run. At the top of the pumping compartment 4 there is a header section 15 separated from the main body by a perforated wall 16 and having two ports 17 feeding into two rectangular section transport ducts 18 which extend below the longitudinal wall 7 and feed into the upper subcompartment 9 through ports 19. Supported and driven along by a winch 20, there are two endless ropes of cloth 10 to be treated which wrap the winch 20, pass through the transport ducts 18 and return in the upper subcompartment 9. The winch 20 is horizontal and transversally disposed in the vessel 1 and has a drive shaft 21 having speed control means not shown in the drawings. Said winch 20 is positioned close to the level of the treatment liquid 6 in the upper subcompartment 9 and below the level of the pumping compartment 4 so that the cloth 10 to be treated enters the transport duct 18 almost tangentially, whereby the tension of the cloth 10 in the region of the winch 20 is min-v imal.

At the bottom of the vessel 1, in a hole in the transverse wall 3, there is a liquid pumping member 22 which causes the treatment liquid to flow from the lower subcompartment 8 to the pumping compartment 4. This liquid pumping member 22 comprises a pump having drive means 23 fitted with a speed control device not illustrated in the drawings. Within the pumping compartment 4 there is a heat exchanger means 24 having heat exchange tubes through which steam or cold water may be passed to heat or cool respectively the treatment liquid 6.

The apparatus described above operates as follows: the treatment liquid 6, which is distributed between the pumping compartment 4 and the second compartment 5, is pumped by the pumping member 22 from said second compartment 5 towards the pumping compartment 4. This creates a difference of levels of the treatment liquid 6 between the pumping compartment 4, which has the liquid at a higher level, and the second compartment 5, which has the liquid at a lower level. The treatment liquid 6 in the pumping compartment 4 passes through the perforated wall 16, fills the header section 15 and flows out through the port 17 into the transport duct 18, pulling along the endless rope of cloth which is also fed by the winch 20 turning in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing in such a way that it pulls the cloth 10 out of the upper subcompartment 9 and feeds it into the transport duct 18. Pulled along by the treatment liquid, the cloth 10 moves first inside the transport duct 18, which it leaves through port 19 to return along the upper subcompartment 9. By adjusting the speeds of the pumping member 22 and the winch 20, the endless rope of cloth 10 is made to circulate quickly and smoothly, without abnormal tensions and without undesirable accumulations being produced.

With reference to FIGS. 4 5 and 6 which show a variation of the apparatus described above the same parts bear the same reference characters. in this arrangement, the winch 20' is positioned rather higher and is above the level of the treatment liquid 6 in the pumping compartment 4. The endless rope of cloth 10 enters the port 17 of the transport duct 18 directly instead of almost tangentially. A further feature of this variation is that in the upper portion of the upper subcompartment 9 there is a longitudinal wall 25 which is positioned slightly. below the level of the treatment liquid 6 in the second compartment 5 and which prevents the endless rope of cloth 10 from rising above the level ofthe treatment liquid 6.

The apparatus operates in a similar fashion to that described above. The cloth 10 is pulled along by the current of treatment liquid 6 which flows from the header section of the pumping chamber 4 to the 7 port 17 of the transport duct 18. The characteristics of the movement are also adjusted by adjusting the speeds of the pumping member 22 and winch The upper longitudinal wall 25 prevents the cloth 10 from rising to the surface of the treatment liquid during the return run, thereby affording greater uniformity of treatment.

Having conveniently described the two examples of embodiments of the present inventiomit is stated that they are illustrative and not limitative and that all variations of detail as experience and practice, may advise may be applied provided that thereby they do not mod ify the essence of the invention as resumed and defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths wherein the cloth to be treated is drawn along in rope form by the treatment liquid and circulates along an outward run and a return run, comprising in combination:

a. a hermetically sealed vessel capable of being pressurised and holding the treatment liquid in its lower portion;

b. a transverse wall dividing the lower portion of said vessel into a first, relatively small, compartment forming the treatment liquid pumping compartment and a second, relatively large, compartment;

0; a longitudinal wall, having liquid ports, which divides said second compartment into a lower subcompartment and an upper subcompartment through which the cloth circulates during its return run;

d. at least one transport duct through which the cloth passes on its outward run, said at least one transport duct being positioned substantially below the longitudinal wall in said lower subcompartment and having its inlet port in communication with said treatment liquid pumping compartment and its outlet port feeding into said upper subcompartment;

. liquid pumping means positioned within said vessel between said lower subcompartment and said pumping compartment and when operating, acting to create a difference in level thereby forcing the liquid in the pumpint compartment to spill into the inlet port of said transport duct; and

. a winch disposed with respect to said upper subcompartment in such a way that it draws the cloth from the bath between the return run and the outward run and returns it to the transport duct.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and having within the pumping compartment a heat exchanger means which allows heating or cooling of the treatment liquid.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liquid pumping means is situated in the lower portion of the vessel in a hole defined in the transverse wall separating the pumping compartment from the second compartment.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of transport ducts in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of a corresponding plurality of endless ropes of cloth.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of transport ducts in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of a corresponding plurality of endless ropes of cloth and wherein the liquid pumping means is situated in the lower portion of the vessel in a hole defined in the transverse wall separating the pumping compartment from the second compartment.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of transport ducts in parallel relationship toallow for the simultaneous treatment of a corresponding plurality of endless ropes of cloth and wherein the liquid pumping means is situated in the lower portion of the vessel in a hole defined in the transverse wall separating the pumping compartment from the second compartment, and comprising within said pumping compartment a heat exchanger means which allows heating or cooling of the treatment liquid.

7. Apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths wherein the cloth to be treated is drawn along in rope form by the treatment liquid and circulates along an outward run and a return run comprising in combination:

a. a hermetically sealed vessel capable of being pressurised and holding the treatment liquid in its lower position;

b. a transverse wall dividing the lower portion of said vessel into a first, relatively small, compartment forming the treatment liquid pumping compartment and a second, relatively large, compartment; said pumping compartment having therein a heat exchanger means which allows heating or cooling of the treatment liquid;

0. a longitudinal wall, having liquid ports, which divides said second compartment into a lower subcompartment and an upper subcompartment through which the cloth circulates during its return run;

d. two transport ducts through which the cloth passes on its outward run, said transport ducts positioned substantially below the longitudinal wall in said lower subcompartment in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of two endless ropes of cloth, and each having its inlet port in communication with said treatment liquid pumping compartment and its outlet port feeding into said upper subcompartment;

e. liquid pumping means situated in the lower portion of said vessel in a hole defined in said transverse wall separating said pumping compartment from said second compartment and when operating acting to create a difference in level thereby forcing the liquid in said pumping compartment to spill into the inlet ports of said transport ducts, said pumping means having speed control means, and

f. a winch disposed with respect to said upper subcompartment in such a way that it draws the endless ropes of cloth from the bath between the return run and the outward run and returns them to the transport ducts. 

1. Apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths wherein the cloth to be treated is drawn along in rope form by the treatment liquid and circulates along an outward run and a return run, comprising in combination: a. a hermetically sealed vessel capable of being pressurised and holding the treatment liquid in its lower portion; b. a transverse wall dividing the lower portion of said vessel into a first, relatively small, compartment forming the treatment liquid pumping compartment and a second, relatively large, compartment; c. a longitudinal wall, having liquid ports, which divides said second compartment into a lower subcompartment and an upper subcompartment through which the cloth circulates during its return run; d. at least one transport duct through which the cloth passes on its outward run, said at least one transport duct being positioned substantially below the longitudinal wall in said lower subcompartment and having its inlet port in communication with said treatment liquid pumping compartment and its outlet port feeding into said upper subcompartment; e. liquid pumping means positioned within said vessel between said lower subcompartmenT and said pumping compartment and when operating, acting to create a difference in level thereby forcing the liquid in the pumpint compartment to spill into the inlet port of said transport duct; and f. a winch disposed with respect to said upper subcompartment in such a way that it draws the cloth from the bath between the return run and the outward run and returns it to the transport duct.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and having within the pumping compartment a heat exchanger means which allows heating or cooling of the treatment liquid.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liquid pumping means is situated in the lower portion of the vessel in a hole defined in the transverse wall separating the pumping compartment from the second compartment.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of transport ducts in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of a corresponding plurality of endless ropes of cloth.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of transport ducts in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of a corresponding plurality of endless ropes of cloth and wherein the liquid pumping means is situated in the lower portion of the vessel in a hole defined in the transverse wall separating the pumping compartment from the second compartment.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of transport ducts in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of a corresponding plurality of endless ropes of cloth and wherein the liquid pumping means is situated in the lower portion of the vessel in a hole defined in the transverse wall separating the pumping compartment from the second compartment, and comprising within said pumping compartment a heat exchanger means which allows heating or cooling of the treatment liquid.
 7. Apparatus for the wet treatment of cloths wherein the cloth to be treated is drawn along in rope form by the treatment liquid and circulates along an outward run and a return run comprising in combination: a. a hermetically sealed vessel capable of being pressurised and holding the treatment liquid in its lower position; b. a transverse wall dividing the lower portion of said vessel into a first, relatively small, compartment forming the treatment liquid pumping compartment and a second, relatively large, compartment; said pumping compartment having therein a heat exchanger means which allows heating or cooling of the treatment liquid; c. a longitudinal wall, having liquid ports, which divides said second compartment into a lower subcompartment and an upper subcompartment through which the cloth circulates during its return run; d. two transport ducts through which the cloth passes on its outward run, said transport ducts positioned substantially below the longitudinal wall in said lower subcompartment in parallel relationship to allow for the simultaneous treatment of two endless ropes of cloth, and each having its inlet port in communication with said treatment liquid pumping compartment and its outlet port feeding into said upper subcompartment; e. liquid pumping means situated in the lower portion of said vessel in a hole defined in said transverse wall separating said pumping compartment from said second compartment and when operating acting to create a difference in level thereby forcing the liquid in said pumping compartment to spill into the inlet ports of said transport ducts, said pumping means having speed control means, and f. a winch disposed with respect to said upper subcompartment in such a way that it draws the endless ropes of cloth from the bath between the return run and the outward run and returns them to the transport ducts. 